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The abundant skin commensal, Staphylococcus epidermidis, is the leading cause of late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants but rarely causes infections in term infants and adults. Staphylococcal virulence mechanisms and the role of the preterm immune responses in driving these life-threatening infections remain poorly understood.
The use of adjunctive antibiotics directed against exotoxin production in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) is widespread, and is recommended in many guidelines, but there is limited evidence underpinning this.
Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for some pathogens in Australia are considerably higher in rural and remote compared to urban regions. The inaugural Hot North Antimicrobial Academy was a 9-month educational programme aimed to build workforce knowledge and capacity in antimicrobial use, audit, stewardship, surveillance and drug resistance in remote primary health care.
A future Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) vaccine will ideally prevent a significant burden of lower limb cellulitis; however, natural immune responses to proposed vaccine antigens following an episode of cellulitis remain uncharacterized.
Aboriginal health is everyone's business. The needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and kids is integrated into all relevant areas of our work. Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and families is an overarching priority for every team at The Kids.
Group A β-haemolytic Streptococcus (GAS), a Gram-positive bacterium, causes skin, mucosal and systemic infections. Repeated GAS infections can lead to autoimmune diseases acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia have the highest rates of ARF and RHD in the world.
Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacteremia, yet the epidemiology and predictors of poor outcome remain inadequately defined in childhood. ISAIAH (Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Infections and Hospitalizations in children) is a prospective, cross-sectional study of S. aureus bacteremia in children hospitalized in Australia and New Zealand over 24 months.
Debbie Susan Palmer Prescott BSc BND PhD MBBS BMedSci PhD FRACP Head, Nutrition in Early Life Honorary Research Fellow debbie.palmer@uwa.edu.au
Invasive aspergillosis (IA) in haematology/oncology patients presents as primary infection or breakthrough infection, which can become refractory to antifungal treatment and has a high associated mortality. Other emerging patient risk groups include patients in the intensive care setting with severe respiratory viral infections, including COVID-19.
This article introduces the fourth update of the Australian and New Zealand consensus guidelines for the management of invasive fungal disease and use of antifungal agents in the haematology/oncology setting. These guidelines are comprised of nine articles as presented in this special issue of the Internal Medicine Journal. This introductory chapter outlines the rationale for the current update and the steps taken to ensure implementability in local settings.